I had my first visit with a new primary care provider yesterday. It went very well. One thing that I found of interest, however, happened when her assistant asked about my pharmacy of preference. I decided on one close to my home. I used to use another one in town, but have gradually moved my preference to the closer one.

Even without my prescription card (which is a different provider from my medical insurance,) she was able to see all of the prescriptions that I had filled within the last 18 months. She rattled them off to me. I had to think about them for a minute. Finally I realized they were from a dental surgery last summer. She said that it didn't matter what pharmacy I named. If I filled a prescription anywhere locally, it would show up. I was stunned!

I quickly realized why that is now the practice. Physicians (and the state) are ensuring that people are not "doctor shopping" for opioids and other drugs. Very sensible. But jarring! We are living in an age when it is very, very, easy to track you.

And the insurance companies are tracking. I can't even fill regular medications more than a week early even if I have to make a special trip to the hospital pharmacy, which is about 12 miles away. They even wrote on my gabapentin prescription that I tried to fill it 3 days early. WHAT?

My ex works at the hospital and so now I have him pick my meds up. We have to fill them at the hospital since last year. Can't fill them anywhere else except IHC hospitals.

BUT I type medical records and it has changed things significantly. I used to type up people going to the ER looking for narcotics all the time and going form one ER to the next and they can't do it now. In fact, ERs very seldom prescribe narcotics any longer UNLESS there is an obvious need and there hasn't been a lot of prior prescriptions.

I discovered that when going back and forth between my medical team treating my breast cancer.

A prescription I'd filled a week before for a oral infection via my dentist showed up when I went for a checkup with my oncologist. Along with all the other ones that were listed there. It's all streamlined into the same database on our profiles in real time.

As for tracking them, absolutely.

They even include what vitamins and supplements & over the counter meds you take on the same roster.

I believe the pharmacy keeps track of this information in the same manner. So if/when you have questions about medicine interactions or side effects, what you're taking is right there at their fingertips.

Yes we are, they know everything, i accidently broke an opoid contract when i got a foot surgery and got prescribed percocet for pain because my tramadol wasn't strong enough for post-surgery pain. They were strict and told me to find another place for my pain issues which i did and i am much happier with the new place, way more forgiving about surgeries that i need to get done.

Even home insurance companies share info. I wanted to switch companies last year and the new company asked about a problem I had with my roof. The old company sent some guys out but I didn't end up filing a claim. Apparently they put that in a shared database or something because the new company saw that info just in the few minutes I spent getting a quote.

While I'm sure it does have something to do with Dr. shopping, in this particular case, I think it's a good idea. I suspect that they can also use the information to make sure you're not prescribed something new that might interact badly with something you're already taking.

Isn't there some sort of HIPAA violation going on here? I can understand the pharmacist having access to the information, but the records being wide open to everyone at the drug store seems ripe for extortion and abuse.

Yeah, but the cops have had unfettered access to our drug records. Some cops, a few years back, I think it was in Vernal, got caught abusing the system. They'd search for pain meds for locals on parole/probation. Then, they'd make a surprise "check up visit". One cop would keep the parolee in one room while the other cop searched the house (legal). Then, he'd hit the medicine cabinet and steal pain meds. They got busted and convicted. They got probation (gee- must be "good family men"). If any of us stole those drugs, we'd still be in prison.

The DEA has access now but Utah did not want them to have it.Judge ruled in favor of DEA. I think this was just last year.

Utah State and local cops still need a warrant but they want to override that law and have unfettered access if they do a special 8 hour workshop.

This would be open season for who has what in their medicine cabinets. Could they could run your plates and check out your medications at the same time and then pull you over?It all sounds like a bad idea.

"Utah State and local cops still need a warrant but they want to override that law and have unfettered access if they do a special 8 hour workshop."

Actually, that only became a law a few years ago. Until then, cops had free range to your medical records, and they did. The new law only requires cops to have "probable cause" to looks at your prescription history. And, most of us know how cops can easily come up with probable cause.

Isn’t this dangerous for cancer patients and similar, who are e prescribed narcs and you have a dishonest person working in the pharmacy, who is addicted themselves or have money problems? They have your address and know where you live to rob your house and look for drugs, since everything is on the computer now.Most of them are nice and honest, but what about pharmacies in high crime areas.That might be why some pharmacies don’t carry certain meds, which can be good or bad.

For several years now, DH and I have been getting all of our prescriptions filled through one local pharmacy. We know all of the pharmacists and they know us, on sight.

The senior pharmacist - (my secret heartthrob, Maurice - and don't worry, I have children older than he is) - always asks what my renal function numbers are, when he knows that I have had a renal med checkup. If somebody prescribes something and Maurice isn't sure that it's a good mix with my kidneys, he will call the provider and discuss it. How can you NOT trust somebody like that?

On the plus side, at least you know what folks are actually prescribed (who knows, maybe they're even taking it).Be surprised how many folks have no idea. Cuts the risk of prescribing them an interaction.

Once had an old southern gentleman, said he was taking "Feenamint and Bardol" (a laxative and a motor oil). Scratch head, "man, that is one he!! of a regimen."

I got a weird call from my local pharmacy last week. The person said "since you are taking a blood sugar medication, you should also be taking a statin". To which I said, "what?? my doctor prescribes my meds and my last blood test in Dec. all my blood levels were normal including cholesterol." And I hung up. Next time I went to the pharmacy I asked them about the call, they said something about reviewing patient's medication and that I was "eligible" to take a statin. Again, "What??) Explanation: "some people don't know they have high cholesterol." I see my doctor regularly and have a yearly full blood screening. I do not need a drug store telling me what meds I "should" be taking.

My take on it was they (and the drug company) are trying to sell people a drug they do not need. I go to a small local drug store, not a chain, so it was unsettling.

I understand the opioid epidemic and the need to monitor drug users, etc. The other side of the coin is when you have folks like my dad who was in the late stages of prostate cancer. His treating oncologist was a real miser when it came to pain meds. When we told him that dad was having breakthrough pain all the time...he simply said, "I am sorry, but I have given him the allotted amount." As we walked out of the practice that day, and I kid you not, an associate of his caught up w/ us in the parking lot and he said, "I apologize for my counterpart...he's a real stickler...look I understand your dad is in pain and will die soon - call my secretary for more pain meds if needed, and I will prescribe them." Dad died a few weeks later at home. We basically gave him all the pain meds he wanted at the end (as it should be).